WilderSkills

Ancient Skills. Wild Adventures. Deep Connection.

WilderSkills Jr Trail Guide Adventures

Redwood City and Saratoga

Learn Back-country Guiding Skills At Our Summer Camp On-The-Move!

“WilderSkills provides access to the natural world and expertly nurtures many fundamental aspects of what it takes to help children become well-balanced, skilled, and fundamentally happy human beings in a rapidly shifting modern environment.” – David Lee, Education Counselor

Starting Summer 2020, WilderSkills is excited to launch our innovative Jr Trail Guide Training program on the open-space parks in Saratoga and Redwood City.

How Is Jr. Trail Guides Different From Other Summer Camp Programs?
WilderSkills Jr. Trail Guides is an immersive real-world nature connection and outdoor wilderness skills summer camp program. Our Junior Trail Guides Wilderness Summer Camp program offers campers a more focused opportunity to learn outdoor skills specifically applicable to learning how to be a future outdoor guide (Wilderness Survival skills, First Aid, Plant Identification, Hiking Safety, and more!) in a roving summer camp environment. This program’s daytime summer camp locations include Stulsaft Park in Redwood City, and Quarry Park in Saratoga California. We think families who know and love WilderSkills already, will love the new curriculum addition and adventure opportunities this provides their campers.

Taught by some of the most experience back-country guides, nature specialists, and primitive survival skills experts in the United States, this summer training program teaches Campers Ages 7-13 real-world outdoor guiding and adventure skills

WilderSkills Trail Adventure Programs Help Jr Guides Develop REAL WORLD Skills Like:

  • Wilderness First Aid & Survival Techniques
  • Outdoor Cooking & Wild Foods
  • How To Research & Plan Outdoor Adventures
  • Plant Identification & Uses
  • How to make Improvised Primitive Emergency Shelters, Hiking Packs + Other Gear.
  • Traditional Outdoor Tool Construction & Methodologies
  • Wilderness Emergency Response Protocols
  • Back-country Navigation
  • Animal Sign, Tracking, & Behavior
  • How to prepare for All-weather adventures
  • Outdoor Games
  • Knife & Outdoor Tool Safety + Care

Outdoor time with WilderSkills also fosters HIGH VALUE SOFT SKILLS such as: Unstructured problem-solving capabilities, Independence and self-regulating behavior development, Critical early development physical strength & coordination, Self-expression, AND HOW TO HAVE FUN OUTDOORS IN REAL NATURE.

Age Groups: 
WilderSkills is designed for youth ages 7 to 13, with campers generally sub-divided into age appropriate groups (roughly 7-9, 10-13,). Session content is customized for each age group, with each age group focusing on wilderness lessons and activities on par with their maturity level and interests.

COVID-19 Updates:
WilderSkills programs intend to comply with local regulations pertaining to public gatherings and COVID-19 Guidance.
PPE Gear: Students will be required to bring a cloth face covering to have with them (for example, a bandana or ski buff). Students will also be asked to bring personal hand cleaner. We will also look to have hand sanitation supplies on-hand for the group.

Covid-19 Camp Adjustments: At present, group sizes will be limited as necessary per State and local guidance requirements given, and camp Covid-19 program protocols updated accordingly as well.
***That said – There are no guarantees possible when it comes to being 100% certain that camp Covid-19 protocols will be full-proof. It must be understood by families, that risk is always present when gathering in public. WilderSkills also asks that families comply with the advice of your family’s medical physician in determining if your child should attend due to inherent risks with regard to public gatherings. This is especially important if anyone in the house is potentially immunocompromised.

Illness & Covid-19 Refunds: As a precaution, if a camper becomes ill for any reason during camp, we ask that they do not attend again until a doctor has provided written documentation that they are safe to come back to camp. Additionally, if a camper or family member is diagnosed with COVID-19, we ask that the camper no longer attend the camp session. A refund will be granted in such a case, with written proof of positive COVID-19 test results of a household member or the camper being provided.

Location:
WilderSkills Trail Camp Courses take place in our beautiful Redwood City location among 40 open acres of trails and wild space at Stulsaft Park, as well as on the open space trails of Quarry Park in Saratoga.

Quarry Park in Saratoga is about 10 minutes from the 280 Freeway off Saratoga Blvd/ Hwy 9. Google Maps Location here.

Stulsaft park (Redwood City) is roughly 1 mile from the 280 Freeway off the Farm Hill Blvd Exit in Redwood City.  Google Maps Location here.

Jr. Trail Guide Adventure Academy Dates & Times:
WilderSkills Trail School Adventure Academy takes place during summer weeks as follows:

Stulsaft park (Redwood City) Sessions:
Registration for these sessions must be completed directly through the the Redwood City Recreation Department here.

Quarry Park (Saratoga) Session Dates
Click here for the Saratoga LGS Recreation page. WilderSkills is listed under Nature Camps.